1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a golf putter head. More particularly, it relates to a synthetic ruby golf putter head and a method for its manufacture.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Golf club heads are known to have been made from various materials, including composite materials characterized by aluminum or aluminum alloy combined with ceramics. Such golf club heads are described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,037,102. Other golf clubs have been made with a coating of a material having a high Young's modulus, such as a diamond coating as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,951,953. In addition, golf club putter heads have been made of wear resistant, highly polished aesthetically pleasing silicone nitride materials, such as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,340,107.
Synthetic rubies are known to be fabricated from the Verneuil method by feeding a ruby seed crystal fused with the flame of an oxyhydrogen blow pipe with a pulverulent mixture of alumina and chromium oxide and introducing the mixture to the ruby through this flame. Other methods for making synthetic ruby boules are set forth in U.S. Pat. No. 3,519,394 and the teachings of this patent are herein incorporated by reference.
It is highly desirable in golf putter heads to have a flat striking surface so that no deviation in the direction of movement of the ball is caused by the golf putter itself. Although many seemingly flat surfaces are known in the prior art, golf equipment manufacturers seek to improve this flatness characteristic of a putter head ball striking surface.